Car-coupling.



M. C. IRGNSIDE.

GAR GOUPLING.

APILIOATION FILED .11.11.31, 1908.

@sigs Patented May 18, 1909.

ZZZZ ETS-SHEET 1.

Z5 E Y maw/@jmff M. C. IRUNSIDE.

GAR GOUPLING. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3l, 1908.

921,707. 4:Patented May18,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

To alt whom 'it may concern:

FFECJ.

MATTHEW o. iRosIDE, oF KANsAs CITY, iglANsiis.

camcourmive.

Spec'cation of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Application filed January 31, 1808. Serial No. l413,585.

Be it known that I, MATTHEW C. IRON-I sinn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, iii the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplers, of whichthe following is a specification.

My. invention relates to improvements in car couplers.

It relates particularly to automatic couplers of the type embodying a pivoted coupi ler hook which is swung to and from 'the locked position. by the engagement of an opposing coupler.

The object of my invent-ion is to provide `a construction which is strong, simple` durable and positive in action, and with which the coupling operation will be entirely automatic and with which the employment of springs or manual aid to eifect the coupling operation will be dispensed with,...

The novel features of my invention are hereinafter fully described and claimed. y

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate my inventione-Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of two couplers embodying my improved construction, in locked engagement with each other. Fig. 2 is a. vertical section on the lotted line a-b of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a top view showing two couplers in initial positions of engagement with each other. Fig. 4 is an end elevation ot a portion of a car which is equipped with my improved coupler. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of my improved coupling device attached to ucar, a portion of which is shown. Fig. (5 is a horizontal section of my iniproved coupler, the coupler hook being shown in thevunlocked position, and one of A th levers employed to raise the locking pin being engaged by an opposing coupler, a portion of which is shown. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the broken dotted line c--cl ot' Fig. 6.

Similar characters or' reference denote similar parts.

1 denotes the coupler head similar to the coupler head of well known Janney type, provided at its outer end with a recess 2, the outer, uppei' and lower recessed portion being concavely curved at 3 so as to torce the coupler hook of .the opposing coupler into the locked position.

4 denotes the coupler hook pivotally mounted in the recess by means of a vertical knuckle pin 5, which extends through openings provided therefor in the upper and lower side's of the recessed portionl of the coupler head 1. A locking pin 6 is vertically elidable in vertical` holes provided thereto; in the upper and lower sides of the recessed portion ofv the coupler head `1. This locking pin is disposed so as to be moved bygravity across the path of movenient of the rear end of the coupler hook 4. Whenv in the lower position shown in Figs.

1 and 2, vthe locking pin 6 engages the rear' end of the coupling'hook 4 and retains it in the locked position shown in Fig. 1. The locking pin 6 is provided with a notch or recess 7 which, when the locking pin is in the raised position shown in Fig. 7, is in register with the rear end of the couplingl hook 4 and is of such a depth as to permit the passage therethrough ot the rear end ot the coupling hook when said hook is swung tothe unlocked or open position shown in Fig. 6.

For the purpose of automatically raising the locking pin 6 to the position just described, the following described mechanism is employed Pivotally mounted in the reg cess 2 upon a vertical pin 8, secured at its upper and lower ends to the head 1, in holes provided therefor, is a horizontal lever 9, the outer end of which is disposed so as to be swung outwardly by the coupling hook 4 ci the opposing coupler when a coupling is being made. Pivotally mounted upon the 'cylindrical inner end l() of ,the lever 9, is a small sector shaped lever. 1r,v which has its upper end loosely mounted iii a recess i2, shown in Fig-7, located on the inner side of the upper portion of the recessed part of the coupler head 1. 11 is located in a recess 13 providedin the locking pin G.

The coupling operation is eliected in the Jfollowing manner The coupler hook' 4 of the opposing coupler first strikes the lever 9, thereby swinging the said lever which in turn will swing the lever 11 so as to raise the locking pin G to the posit-ion shown in Fig. 7, in which position the recess 7 will be opposite to the rear end of the coupler hook 4 adjacent thereto. y The coupler hook 4 bcing free to move from the locked position. is swung by means of the coupler hook 4 of the opposing coupler to the open position shown in Fig. G. As the couplers move closer together the coupler hooks 4 will be Une end of the lever,

forced by the' concave portions 3 of the coupler head into theA locked positions shown in Fig. 1, in which positions the two coupler heads will interlock. The locking pins 6, which have been supportedby the coupler hooks 4 in the elevated position shown in Fig. 7, will fall by gravity to the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as soon as the coupler hooks have been fully retracted. Preferably the weight of the locking pin 6 is such that when it is unsupported by the coupler hook 4 the locking pin will, by its weight swing the lever 11 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, thereby retracting the lever 9 to its original position shown in Fig. 1.

When it is desired to uncouple the couplers which are engaged with each other the locking pin 6 is raised by any desired means to the position shown in Fig. 7, at which time the hook 4 will be swung to the position shown in Fig. 6 after the cars have been separated from each other a suitable dis-f tance. For the purpose of effecting an automatic coupling it is immaterial with 'my improved coupler, whether the coupler hook is in the open position shown in F ig. 4

or -in the locked or closed position shown in Fig. 1. If the coupler hook 4 is in the open posltion shown in Fig. 6, which is the position it Will occupy after an uncoupling- .locking position.

Upon the outer side of the coupling hook i 4 and forward of the knuckle 'pin 5, 1s proadjacent forward edge of the coupler head 1.

vided a projection 14 which serves to limit the opening movement of thc hook 4. This projection 14 is. disposed so as to strike the In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a mechanism which may be employed to raise the locking pin 6 to the unlocked position. The chain 15 is secured at its lower end to the upper end of the locking pin 6 and at its upper end is secured to an arm 16 secured to a hori- Zontal rock shaft 17, mounted in bearings 18, secured to the end of the car 20, the outer end of the rock shaft having a crank arm 19 by which the shaft is turned so as to raise the locking pin 6.

i Various vmodifications of my invention may be made, within the scope vof the appended claims, without departing from its spirit.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is f 1. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a Icoupling hook movable thereon to a-nd from the locked position by an opposite coupler, a locking pin for hold ing the hook in the locked position, and means actuated by an opposing coupler for moving said lockin pin to a posltion in which the hook will ge released therefrom.

2. In a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a couplin 'hook movable thereon to and from the loc red position by an opposing coupler, a locking pin movable by gravity to a position in which it will hold the coupling hook in the locked position when the coupling hook has been moved to such position, and means actuated by an opposing coupler for moving said locking p1n to a position in which the coupling hookwill be released therefrom.

I'. ln a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupling hook movable thereon to and from the locked position by an opposingr coupler, a locking pin movable by gravity to a position in which it will hold the coupling hook in the locked position when the coupling hook has been moved to suclr position, said coupling hook, when in the unlocked position, supporting said locking pin, and means actuated by an opposing coupler for moving said locking pin to a position in which the coupling hook will be released therefrom.

4. in a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head. of a coupling hook movable there-ou to and from the locked position, a locking pin for holding the coupler hook in the locked position, a lever foi` moving said locking pin to a position in which the coupler hook will be released therefrom, and means actuated by an opposing coupler for swinging said lever so asto disengage the locking pin from `the coupler hook.

5. ln a car coupler, lthe combination with a coupler head, of a coupling hook movable thereon to and from the locked position, a

vertically' movable locking pin movable by gravity to a position in which it will engage and hold the coupling hook in the locked position, a lever for raising the locking pin to a position. in which it will be disengaged from t-he coupling hook, and means actuated by anvopposing coupler for swinging the lever so as to move the locking pin to the last named position.

6. In a Acar cou ler, the combination with va coupler head, o a coupling hook movable thereon to and from the locked position, a locking pin for holding the coupler hook in the locked position, a lever pivoted to said coupler head and movable in one direction by an opposing coupler, and means by which, when said 'lever is swung insaid direction, the locking pin will bedisengaged thereby from the coupler hook.

7 In 'a car coupler, the combination-with a coupler-head, `o a couplinghookI movable moved to such position, a lever pivotedto.

said coupler head and movable in one direction by an opposing coupler, and means by which, when said lever is moved in lsaid direction, the locking pin will be raised to a position in which it Will be disengaged from the cou pling hook.

8. ln a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupling hook movable thereon to and from the locked position, a locking pin 'for holding the coupler hook in the locked position, a lever pivoted to the coupler head and movable in one direction by an. opposing coupler, and a second lever for moving the locking pin to a position in which the locking pin will be disengaged lroni the Coupler hook, said second lever being actuated by the first named lever when he iii-st namedy lever has been swung by an opposing coupler.

in a car coupler, the combination with a coupler head, of a coupling hook movable thereon 'to and from 'the locked position, a lori-:ing pin movable to and from a position in which. it will hold the coupler hook in the flocked position when said hook has been moved toisaid Aosition, a lever pivoted to `the ooupler'hea and movable in one direction by an opposing coupler, and a second lever pivotally mounted on the first named lever and engaging the coupler head and said locking pin, the locking pin being moved'by said second'lever out of engagement With the coupler hook when the first named 'lever is actuated by an .opposing coupler.

10. ln a car coupler, the combination With a coupler head, of a coupling hook pivoted thereto and movable from and to the locked posit-ion by an opposing-coupler, a vertically movable lockin pin movable across the path of movement oi' the coupling hook, for locking said hook in the locked position, the locking pin when moved out of the path of movianent of theicoupling hook and t-he coupf ling hook having been suiliciently moved t0- ward the open position, being supported thereby, a lever movable in one direction by an opposing coupler, and .means for raising the locking pin out of the path of movement of the. coupling hook when said lever is swung in said direction, the locking pin moving byl gravity across the ath of movement of the couplinghook W en the coupling hook has been moved to the locked position, said locking pin in its downwardA movement through the interinediacy of said loclnng pin ralsmg means -forcing sald lever ,into position to be actuated by the opposing coupler.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in vpresence of two subscribing witnesses.

MATTHEW C. IRONSIDE.

iwitnesses:

E. B. HOUSE, R. E. HAMILTON. 

